The Ring of Gyges Plato’s The Republic (Book II)

From Plato’s Republic Book II:

Glaucon:

No one, it is commonly believed would have such iron strength of mind as to stand fast in doing right or keep his hands off other men’s goods, when he could go to the marketplace and fearlessly help himself to anything he wanted, enter houses and sleep with any women he chose, set prisoners free and kill men at his pleasure, and in a word go about among men with the powers of a god. [The virtuous person] would behave no better than [the least virtuous person]; both would take the same course.